Smokers deal with a lot these days – they can’t smoke in most public places, sometimes their friends won’t let them smoke in the house, and there is definitely a stigma that surrounds smoking. And of course, they always hear that they need to just quit smoking. And while quitting smoking is definitely a good thing to do – especially considering how smoking severely affects a person’s health – it’s not quite that simple. After all, the smoker then has to deal with the effects of quitting smoking – and it’s not the walk in the park everyone makes it out to be!

What Are The Most Common Effects Of Quitting Smoking?

There are two types of symptoms that are effects of quitting smoking: physical symptoms and psychological symptoms.

Physical symptoms include, of course, cravings. People crave the nicotine that their body has become used to. Another effect of quitting smoking is a messed-up sleeping schedule. Some people report that they are either very restless or very tired and either one can cause sleeping problems. And many people also develop headaches – while smoking causes headaches, an effect of quitting smoking is headaches! People also report that they typically gain weight – an effect of quitting smoking is an increased appetite so people end up eating more. People also have trouble concentrating due to a mix of the above symptoms – they can’t sleep or they’re having bad cravings and it affects them.

The psychological effects of quitting smoking are just as hard to deal with as the actual withdrawal symptoms. The fluctuating chemical levels in the body cause many different things to happen. The withdrawal symptoms in people who smoke are similar to those of people getting off of any other drug. Often, people develop very mild depression that lasts a few days. They also develop feelings of irritability, anger and frustration. The effects of quitting smoking can also cause people to become anxious and irritable as well. (This is especially common with teen smoking as well – teenagers are a bundle or hormones anyway!)

But of course there are positive effects of quitting smoking. First, your teeth are whiter and you no longer smell like smoke. You save a large amount of money every year. And, luckily, within 15 years all of the increased risks associated with smoking – lung cancer, respiratory issues, heart attacks and strokes – will have returned to a normal level!

However, while the negative effects of quitting smoking can be difficult to deal with at first, in the end it’s all worth it – you’ll be happier and healthier than ever!